Archive for September 2009
No awards for MPs' websites this year
Bad news for anyone who's just put a massive amount of work into an innovative, cutting-edge website for an MP. (Ahem.) I've received confirmation from the British Computer Society - oops, sorry, 'BCS - The Chartered Institute for IT' - that their annual awards recognising the best websites by Members of Parliament aren't quite as [...] read on »
FCO seeks new head of digital
Another senior digital job pops up: this time, it's the Foreign Office looking for a Head of Digital Engagement. It's a Senior Civil Service band 1 position, a 2-year fixed-term contract with a salary up to £90k (plus London weighting, plus 6 weeks holiday!), managing the 30-strong team based in London, Washington, New Delhi and [...] read on »
The reality of cheap web hosting
Since I started building sites using WordPress, I've tended to use cheap hosting - very cheap hosting. I've run high-profile government websites quite comfortably on shared hosting deals costing £50 a year, or less. Some had daily page views running into the thousands; at least one was for 10 Downing Street. It seemed in keeping [...] read on »
Who says Labour people can't do web?
A couple of (broadly) Labour-related online developments of note late last week. One was the relaunch of LabourList, just in time for conference. Alex Smith has done great things editorially since taking control of the website in the wake of Drapergate, and entirely deserved the recognition of a high ranking in Iain Dale's annual poll [...] read on »
Presenting the new website for Lynne Featherstone MP
We're proud to unveil our latest creation: a new website/blog for Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone (or try this link if the DNS hasn't rolled over for you yet). It's taken a good few months, and has thrown up challenges on a scale I haven't had to tackle before. But equally, it presented several opportunities [...] read on »
New sites at Defra and BIS
Two major departmental website changes (that I'm aware of?) today - a completely transformed website for Defra, and a new look for BIS's corporate site. The Defra site feels like an incremental improvement of what went before. Gone is the blocky layout and earthy (and somewhat apt?) colour palette, replaced by the de facto standard [...] read on »
Crowdsourcing my business plan
I've been thinking a lot lately about the future direction of Puffbox. The company has been in existence for two and a half years, and things have gone pretty well. I'm consistently busy, with regular offers of interesting projects: sometimes too many offers, actually. The mortgage gets paid each month, and there's no immediate threat [...] read on »
Trying to engage with the Taxpayers' Alliance
I usually let the Taxpayers' Alliance stuff wash over me. No matter how valid their points often are, it's getting to the stage where every news story about any government expenditure has to feature an angry quote from them. Maybe journalists really are using that online TPA Quote Generator. Then today, in the widespread but [...] read on »
Sky News pressing for TV debate
Sky News has launched a high-profile campaign calling on the leaders of the main political parties to commit to a televised debate - or strictly, several - at the next election. They make a compelling case - pointing out that even Afghanistan managed it. Why on earth, in the year of our Lord two thousand [...] read on »
COI blogging breaks cover
One of the most gratifying examples of government engagement with the online community was the transformation of COI's browser guidelines from a self-contradictory, over-long and unworkable draft to a sensible and practical final document, thanks largely to online consultation with the online audience. Yes, I know it sounds obvious, but... Eight months later, and after [...] read on »